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Facts and Myths:
Employees with Disabilities
Myth: Hiring disabled workers increases workers compensation insurance rates.
Fact: Not so. Insurance rates are based solely on the hazards of the operations & the organization's accident experience!
Myth: Providing accommodations for people with disabilities is expensive.
Fact: Not so. Only a minority of workers with disabilities need special equipment or accommodation; 56% of these cost less than $600, many cost nothing! Available tax incentives make it even easier for businesses to cover accessibility costs.
Myth: Employees with disabilities have a higher absentee rate than employees with disabilities.
Fact: Not so. Studies by firms such as DuPont show that employees with disabilities are not absent any more than employees without disabilities.
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Wheelchair Round-up
It was a great day at The Institute on September 18! More than 50 participants were able to get their wheelchair cleaned and repaired. Thank you to Ameristar Cares and United Seating for making this event possible. |
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Upcoming Events
War and Recovery: Information and Advocacy Day
sponsored by
The Rehabilitation Institute, TriWest, The Dream Works, and Brain Injury Association of Kansas City
October 29 100 W. 26th St. Kansas City, MO 64108 8:15 am - 3:30 pm
YFI|TRI Happy Hour
The Young Friends
of The Institute are holding an informational happy hour to introduce the newly formed group
November 4 The Well
7421 Broadway St
Kansas City, MO 64114
5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Contact Tara Mulford (816) 751-7901 or for more details. |
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The Rehabilitation Institute of Kansas City
3011 Baltimore Ave
Kansas City, MO 64108
(816)751-7900
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Click here to read an article from the Kansas City Star about Bernadine, a patient here at The Rebilitation Institute. |
| October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month! | |
 In 1988 Congress designated October as "National Disability Awareness Month" as a way to increase the public's awareness of the contributions and skills of American workers with disabilities. Over 27 million workers in the U.S. are disabled, making them the nation's largest minority. In 2009 The Rehabilitation Institute assisted 147 disabled individuals with improving their employment readiness skills and obtaining jobs. RI Industries, The Rehabilitation Institute's Extended Work Adjustment Program, currently employs 183 disabled individuals.
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| The Institute Loses an Advocate for Disabled Workers | | |
 At Dwyer Instruments in Grandview, Mike Murphy supervised production for over 30 years. Mike was the kind of guy who didn't need an award to know that hiring disabled workers was the right thing to do; he liked helping people and was glad to give those who wanted to work a chance. The Rehabilitation Institute was especially pleased to award Mike with The Institute's Business Partner Award in 2007, recognizing his efforts to promote employment options for people was disabilities. On average Dwyer had four to six Institute clients working under Mike on jobs ranging from shipping, cutting and stripping wires to soldering and machine operation. From Mike's perspective, disabled workers were a valuable and underutilized source of labor. Institute retention specialist, Terri Hanson, wished we could find 10 more employers like Dwyer with supervisors like Mike. She described him as someone who was "open and caring with our clients, a guy who went above and beyond."
We are saddened to announce that Mike Murphy passed away on August 15th, 2010. His family said that he passed on peacefully and was surrounded by his friends and family. The Institute will be forever grateful towards Mike Murphy for seeing the value in all people and especially those who face life with the unusual burden of having a disability. |
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Former Workshop Employee Enjoying New Chapter of His Life | | |
 This past June, The Rehabilitation Institute's R.I. Industries lost a hard working individual, but it is not what you think. We are pleased to announce that long time sheltered workshop employee, Rex Phenis, age 59, took a position with the Javits-Wagner-O'Day (JWOD) program doing custodial work at The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. In this position, Rex works in a structured team environment with a supervisor and earns a competitive wage.
Rex came to R.I. Industries in 1990 with an intellectual disability, as well as, cerebral palsy. His disabilities did not stop him from wanting to work. Marla Nelson, Lead Program Manager with R.I. Industries, describes Rex as a good worker and always willing to help. "He just loves interacting with people and is very talkative. Anyone that walked by his work station found themselves engaged in a friendly conversation with him," says Marla.
Rex was extremely happy and excited when he found out about his new position, but expressed concerns about leaving R.I. Industries and not seeing his co-workers who had also became his friends. Marla told him not to worry and he was always welcome to come back and visit everyone. Rex is adjusting well to his new job and we wish him much success on his new endeavor!
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| Rehab Spotlight | |
Evan Parris
Evan Parris has worked with The Rehabilitation Institute since February 2010 as an Employer Development Specialist. He joined our team from Ameristar. Through volunteer involvement he was drawn to The Institute by his desire to help others. Evan works with clients from Missouri Vocational Rehabilitation and assists them with finding jobs. Helping clients with their resumes and cover letters is just the beginning; Evan also meets with potential employers about job placement for his clients. Evan's favorite part about working at The Rehabilitation Institute is his co-workers, who he says support each other like a family. Evan's passion for helping disabled workers gain employment makes him an asset to the Institute. If you'd like to thank Evan for all his hard work or talk with him about his job here, you can e-mail him at evan.parris@rehabkc.org.
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